New medical marijuana law eliminates mandatory registration

AUGUSTA, Maine — Gov. Paul LePage has signed into law a bill that’s aimed at protecting the privacy of medical marijuana patients.

The governor signed Rep. Deb Sanderson’s bill in his office Friday morning. The Chelsea Republican’s bill changes Maine’s medical marijuana law to ensure access and clarify and enhance law enforcement protections for patients, caregivers, doctors and dispensary employees.

It eliminates mandatory state registration and mandatory disclosure of a patient’s specific medical condition to the state Department of Health and Human Services and creates more workable processes for adding approved conditions. It also prohibits arrest for qualifying patients, caregivers and dispensary employees acting under the law.